A Princess who was Promised
by Thecourier7
Summary: AU where Elia and her children live. Chapter 2 takes place 4 years after the prologue, chapters 3, 4, and 5 Six years after that. 6 7 are the start of the series
1. Introduction/prologue

Rhaenys hid behind her mother as the stranger approached. She had heard her mother yelling at this same man earlier about her father.

"Rhaenys go watch your brother" Elia told her coldly.

"Ok mama". She replied as she started walking toward her brother's room at Dragonstone. She didn't understand why her mother had been so mean over the past few days. Ever since they left King's Landing. While she was sad to leave, she was happy to get away from her Grandfather. He was always mean to her and often caused her to run from whatever room they were in crying and leave her Grandmother and mother to comfort her. Rhaenys didn't know where her grandmother went but she knew that she was going to have a baby soon. As Rhaenys thought this, she finally got to her baby brother's room.

"Maybe If Nana's baby is a girl, she could marry Aegon" she thought. She had once overheard her mother and father arguing over whether she had to marry her brother if he was a boy back when Elia was still pregnant with him. She did not want to marry her brother. She wanted to spend time with animals like her kitten. Her brother was asleep, which made her happy, as this meant she had time to play with Balerion. Balerion was curled up in a black ball in a box with blue and purple blankets. When he saw her perked up and excitedly ran towards her while meowing happily. She heard more yelling from where her mother was and pretended not to hear them. She played with Balerion and made sure her brother was asleep for a long while.


	2. Winterfell

"Mama it's cold. Why do we have to be in Winterfell?" Rhaenys half asked half complained as she snuggled against her mother.

"We needed to leave Qarth. The new king sees us as threats and will kill you and Aegon." Her mother replied, weariness in her voice.

"Why does the new King want to hurt us?" Asked Rhaenys.

"Because he thinks you and you brother will grow up to usurp the throne just as he has."

"Princess Elia we are approaching Winterfell" shouted one of her advisors.

"Why are we hiding here though? Isn't Ned his friend?" She asked.

"Because I and others doubt Robert will suspect his alleged best friend of housing his worst enemies." Replied Elia.

They arrived at the gates of Winterfell and they slowly opened. Ned Stark was there to greet them.

"Thank you for housing us. We know the risk we put you in especially considering your relationship with Robert. We are in your debt." Elia told Eddard

"You do not need to thank me. The Starks and The Martells may be polar opposites, but we do not murder women and children here." Ned replied.

"Speaking of the king and the Starks, how will you explain our presence?" Asked Elia.

"I've told my family and people you and your advisors are traders and merchants like you have requested." Ned said.

"Thank you Lord Stark." Elia replied.

The next day Elia woke up and got dressed in her new clothes. She walked past her daughter and son, both of whom were asleep, kissing them both on the foreheads. Balerion, who was curled up next to Rhaenys, woke up and stared at Elia strangely.

"Keep an eye on them" she told the cat.

"Meow" replied the cat attentively.

"It's a shame we had to change his name." She thought. "Balerion was such a good name for him."

As she walked to her advisors room, something brushed against her leg. She looked down and saw a silver cat following her. It was the cat her son insisted on keeping, Ashara.

"Ashara go back to Samwell and Myriah" she told the cat. They had been using these names since they came back to Westeros. Rhaenys and Aegon grew to responded to them as well as their own names. The cat stared at her then ran off as if she understood what she had said. After waking her advisors getting the goods, they headed out to set up the stalls. After a few hours of trading, Rhaenys, Aegon and a red haired boy ran up to her.

"Mama can we play with Robb?" asked Rhaenys. Elia chuckled.

"Of corse they'd befriend Robb Stark" she thought.

"Sure as long as you're done by nightfall." Elia replied.

She sold as much as she could and started to pack up at sunset when a woman walked up to her. She had Auburn hair and blue eyes.

"She must be Catelyn Stark" thought Elia. "M'lady" Elia said while bowing. Catelyn nodded and said

"You must be one of the merchants from Dorne. I am Lady Catelyn Stark of Winterfell, What is your name?"

"I am called Larra, M'lady." replied Elia.

"Your children seem to have befriended my son, what are their names?" Asked Lady Stark.

"Myriah and Samwell"

"They are getting along quite well" Lady Catelyn remarked.

"Indeed M'Lady. They are quick to make friends." Catelyn nodded at this.

"An important trait to have. If I may ask, how old are your children?" asked Catelyn

"They are five and eight, Lady Stark." Elia lied.

"Why are you asking me these questions M'Lady?" Asked Elia meekly

"I want to know more about the children playing with my firstborn". Replied Catelyn sternly

Elia was positive Lady Stark suspected something. Elia needed to tread carefully.

"Your son is very energetic." Elia remarked.

"He is indeed. Robb loves fighting. He wants to be a great warrior for his people." Catelyn told her with pride in her voice.

"Your daughter is also very energetic." Lady Stark remarked as she looked at Rhaenys.

"My daughter is indeed. When she was Robb's age she wanted to train horses. When I told her she needed to be older and a boy and she cried for a few days." Elia said.

"Poor thing." remarked Catelyn

"It's okay. She is better suited to be a translator" replied Elia. "What do you mean?" asked Catelyn.

"She's gifted at language. She'll help a lot of people." Replied Elia. Robb, Rhaenys and Aegon ran up to them. "Mommy can we show Robb Nymeros and Ashara?" "Nymeros and Ashara?" asked Catelyn

"Our cats" Replied Rhaenys. Catelyn chuckled.

"Maybe tomorrow. It's late. Come now" Elia replied. Catelyn picked up Robb and Elia said

"It's been an honor to meet you Lady Stark"

"It has been nice meeting you too Larra". She replied. As Elia grabbed her children she saw another boy on a wooden balcony next to where the archery targets. He had black hair and gray eyes.

"That must be Jaehaerys." Thought Elia. She noticed he looked more like a Stark than a Targaryen, much like Rhaenys looked more like her than her father. This was something she knew would help him survive, despite her opinions on the boy. She knew it wasn't his fault for being born of Rhaegar's infidelity but even so he was a living reminder of what he did. Even so she shouldn't mistreat the boy. It would draw to much attention to herself and she needed to keep all four of them safe, at least for the sake of the Starks.

"They are doing so much for us" She thought as she walked towards their room.


	3. Jaehaerys

Rhaenys and Aegon woke up early and helped their mother with the chores. Rhaenys helped her mother finish repairing Lord Starks coat and Aegon fed the horses and the cats.

When they were young, Rhaenys didn't understand why she had to rename Balerion. In her mind he was as black as Balerion allegedly was. He also was as stubborn as Balerion was too. She had remembered stories of a distant ancestor of hers, Nymeria, a warrior princess who helped unite Dorne and decided to rename him with the male variant, Nymeros, as Nymeria had black hair and was a fierce warrior. Aegon found Ashara, a beautiful cat with a bronze coat when they traveled through a small village when going to Winterfell. He had begged his mother to keep it, and when she finally said yes, named it after his mothers friend Ashara. He had heard she was very beautiful though from what they heard Elia had not seen her for a long time.

When they finished helping their mother set up shop, the two children ran trough the marketplace to the gates of the palace, their cats closely keeping up. Robb was waiting for them with Jon.

"Hello Robb"

"Hello Myriah! Hello Samwell!"

Robb shouted excitedly.

"Hello" Jon said meekly.

"Hi" said Rhaenys and Aegon.

"Did you bring them" Robb asked.

"Yes. Rhaenys handed Robb and Jon the swords Ned had ordered for them. Nymerios rubbed against Jon and purred. Jon chuckled and petted the sweet cat. After practicing with the swords for a while Robb asked "What do you want to do?"

"We could give them a tour of the castle" Suggested Jon. Rhaenys got a funny feeling.

"I don't know~"

"Yes" interrupted Aegon.

"Okay lets go" Robb said enthusiastically. As they walked Rhaenys' funny feeling grew. Aegon and Jon seemed to enjoy talking to each other and Robb enjoyed telling them about the different places. When they were in the library Robb suddenly stopped.

"Hide" He whispered.

"Why" asked the rest of the group.

"Just hide" he repeated. Then they heard footsteps. Rhaenys grabbed Aegon and hid under a table. Robb and Jon hid behind some bookshelves.

"It has to be here" said a strange voice. There were footsteps and Rhaenys heard them stop then a book slam against the table next to them. "Here" they said. Rhaenys crawled to the side of the table. She saw an old man with white hair, and a long beard.

"He's a maester" She thought. She quickly looked at the book and saw the title. "Prophecies of the Lord of Light." She crawled back under the table and the four of them waited for a long while. Eventually the Maester found what he was looking for, replaced the book and left.

"What do you think he was doing" asked Jon.

"He was reading a prophecy" Robb Replied. "How do you know that? asked Aegon.

"I was reading along with him. He sat right next to the shelf I was hiding behind".

"He's right" Replied Rhaenys. "I saw the title. It was about prophecies."

"What did it say?" Asked Jon.

"It was about the Lord of light being reborn among salt and smoke and the rebirth of dragons. Essentially The Lord of Light will defeat the White Walkers and save the world"


	4. Hopes and Dreams

Rhaenys and Aegon rode with their mother back to their space.

"What did you two do today?" She asked.

"Robb and Jon showed us the castle" Elia looked angry for a moment but otherwise kept looking forward. Rhaenys didn't know why she disliked Jon so much, but that wasn't her business.

"Did you see Sansa? You promised to help her with her dress."

"Yes I did. She's very bratty"

"She's Eight. Do you know a non bratty Eight year old?" Elia remarked.

Rhaenys sighed. Her mother was right. Plus it was obvious the girl looked up to her. When not in her lessons Sansa followed her around and insisted she read stories about Knights and Princesses. Rhaenys didn't like those stories. She knew those stories were bs and that most knights rarely rescue princesses. She remembered the night they fled Kings Landing. Jamie Lannister killed her grandfather and Tywin Lannister ordered his men to pillage the city. She tried hiding under her fathers bed. She thought he'd come back and protect her. He didn't. She hid until she heard the door open and held her breath. Ser Jamie grabbed her and her kitten and told her to wait in a passage until he got her mother and brother. She heard fighting then ten minutes later her brother and mother came through the passage. They were escorted to a boat that took them to Essos. Rhaenys had always wondered what happened to Ser Jamie. She liked to think he was still a knight of the kingsguard but she didn't know. The carriage stopped and the three of them got out. Rhaenys went to bed as soon as she could. Her first dream was that of five dragons. The first dragon had dark blue and purple scales and purple wings. Instead of fear it brought protection and hope. The second was yellow with red wings and flew gracefully through the sky. It brought wonder and joy to whoever saw it. The third was black and red with red black wings. It brought fear and respect. The fourth was green and bronze with yellow orange wings. With it it brought cunning and kindness. The fifth and final dragon was cream colored and light. She saw it bring death and despair. She saw the first four fly alongside wolves, tigers, stags, lions, and a variety of other animals and fight the fifth. In her second dream she saw a red eagle-like bird attack an ice spider the size of a horse. The ice spider had an army of corpses while the red bird had an army of living and of memory. The memory took the shape of a raven. Her third dream was of two dragons perched at the wall. Both were from her first dream, the blue/purple colored one and the green/bronze colored one. Beside the blue/purple colored one sat two grey wolves and a three eyed crow. Together they sat in Winterfell, as calm and content as ever. In her last dream she saw a stag and several lions come to Winterfell. Greeting them were seven wolves and a dragon. The stag ordered the largest to guide him and his kingdom. The scene quickly changed to a stag being gored by a boar, then a wolf being beheaded as a lion laughed. Rhaenys woke up to Nymerios standing on her stomach staring at her intently. Rhaenys wrote down her dreams in her journal. As much as she loved her mother she knew she either wouldn't believe her or see them as omens. "The king is coming" said Aegon confidently.

"What?" Asked Elia and Rhaenys.

"The king is coming to Winterfell" Aegon stated again. Elia understandably looked panicked.

"Did you hear news? Did you hear people talking?" She asked.

"No I dreamt it. I saw a stag and several lions coming to Winterfell."

"That was just a dream little one" said Elia.

"I dreamt the same thing" Rhaenys said. Elia looked nervous again.

"What do you mean?" Asked Elia. Rhaenys whispered her last dream to her mother and in case any one was listening she said eight wolves and showed her mom where she wrote seven wolves and a dragon. Her mother took the page and burned it. She took a piece of paper and a quill and wrote that she needed to tell them something. Rhaenys and Aegon watched intently as she wrote that they had a half brother. Rhaegar had had a child with Lyanna and that he was in Winterfell as well. After they read this information Elia then soaked the page in ale until the ink became unreadable and threw it in the fire. There was a burst of flame and the Page was no more.


	5. A gift fit for a Queen

Elia was shaken from the mornings conversation with her children. There was no telling when prophecies could come true. All she knew was that Robert Baratheon was going to come to Winterfell and she needed to tell Ned Stark. She was lucky she and her children woke up early. They packed up their merchandise and rode into the marketplace. After the day was done she walked to the court to seek counsel. She had Rhaenys and Aegon stand outside as she walked through the entrance. As she approached the counsel room she heard arguing. It sounded like Lady Catelyn and Lord Stark.

"...I don't see why we have to keep him here! Why not give him to 'Larra' and her children?" The one who sounded like Lady Catelyn argued. ""He is my blood not hers!" The one who sounded like Lord Ned nearly yelled. Elia knocked on the door and both voices hushed. "Come in" Lord Stark bellowed. Elia walked into the council room.

"Lord Stark" Said Elia as she bowed. Lord and Lady Stark were the only ones in the room.

"I have news. You may not believe me but for years my children have had visions of things yet to come. Since we arrived in Winterfell these visions have become more frequent. Last night both dreamt of a stag and lions coming north. I believe some time in the future Robert will ride north." Elia explained

"Do you have any idea when he will come?" Asked Lord Stark

"No M'lord."

"Is this all Larra?" Asked Lord Stark.

"No M'Lord. My daughter dreamt that if you were to go south both you and the king would be killed." Elia warned.

"Larra how certain are you this will come to pass?" asked Ned

"Absolutely" replied Elia.

"Leave us." Elia did as she was told. She did as she was told and left with her children. The next morning Elia awoke to a knock on her door. When She opened it and there was a messenger standing there.

"I've got a letter and package. I was told to deliver it to your hands only. Something about it helping the realm?" He said handing her a package.

"Thank You!" Said Elia. She paid him a few silver. "You're Welcome" Said The courier, running away. Elia Placed the package on the table and opened it. She gasped.

"What is it Mama?" asked Aegon.

"Dragon Eggs" she replied. She laid them on the table. One was yellow with shades of red, the other blue with shades of purple.

"They're beautiful" said Rhaenys picking up the blue one.

"I wonder where Lord Stark got them" said Elia.


	6. Leaving Winterfell

Elia woke up to knocking on her door. It was her friends Joanna, Talia and Mira.

"Larra have you heard the news?" Asked Mira.

"What news" replied Elia

"The king is coming to Winterfell" said Joanna

"He will be here in a fortnight" said Mira

"Isn't it exciting?" Asked Joanna

"Yes. It's wonderful" Elia said with a fake smile. She had become good at lying. She had been preparing for this news for a while and had been secretly planning on taking a ship to Dorne.

"Talia you've been quiet" said Elia.

"I've just been thinking about the kings coming" she said. Elia remembered she had a daughter with black hair and blue eyes, a few years older than Rhaenys, but she didn't bring it up.

"What will you be doing when the king comes?" Asked Joanna

"I have business in Dorne I need to attend to. I need to secure a deal involving importing supplies. It will take me at least two fortnights to negotiate. I am leaving in a seven days." Said Elia. She hoped she didn't raise suspicions, but she knew it was incredibly suspicious that she was leaving Winterfell a week before the king was coming but it was the best she could come up with.

"That's a shame. What business do you have to do?" Asked Talia

"I'll be getting spices and wine, but if I can, I will get more lemon trees for the Stark Greenhouses. The ones they have are sickly and Lady Sansa will be devastated if she doesn't get lemon cakes." Elia replied. She was telling the truth in part. Lemon trees don't do well in cold climates, which is probably why the ones in the greenhouses were sick. She hoped the hides and silver were enough to get the supplies she needed. Even with her status she did not want to go to Dorne empty handed.

"I hope you get back soon Larra. I'd hate for you to miss the Kings visit." Said Mira.

"I hope I get back soon as well" Said Elia.

After the ladies left she and her children started packing up their things. The king was riding for a new hand. All she could do was pray Ned said no. All she knew was that dark times were ahead.


	7. Robb’s revalations

News of the king's arrival had spread quickly throughout the castle. Robb was saddened by Myriah and Samwell's departure even if they'd only be gone a few weeks. He couldn't wait to tell them about the kings visit and to show them Grey Wind, his direwolf. He hadn't had time too see them and he regretted not saying goodbye. Unfortunately his father had to execute a deserter that day, something he had to witness. It was The day his father found out about the king coming. The king came two fortnights later and visited his aunts tomb. His friends had left a week before the king came which he found strange."Wouldn't they wait to meet the king?" He thought. The king seemed like a good man, but Grey Wind grew uneasy when the Queen and her brother walked past. Ever since he got Grey Wind he'd been feeling strange. He seemed to be connected to the beast somehow."Maybe I'm a warg" he thought. "Like in the stories."Grey Wind perked up suddenly and started barking and pawing at the door."What is it Gr~" he was interrupted by more howling but this time from a different source. It sounded like Summer, his brothers direwolf. He opened the door and Grey Wind rushed out of the room. He followed. Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw. His brother, Bran was on the ground unconscious and not moving. Robb got his mother."Did you see what happened? Did you see him fall?" She practically screamed at him."No. Grey Wind started howling and barking and then I heard Summer. I found him like this and got you" He explained."Get Maester Luwin. NOW" she screamed.He did as he was told. A few hours later he and a few other Maesters saved him from dying."How did this happen" Asked Maester Luwin."He fell" replied his mother."But he never falls" remarked Robb."Hush Robb. Why don't you go tell your father." Remarked Catelyn. Robb's stomach dropped for a second time. He was afraid of how father would react. He walked to his parents room and knocked. There was no answer. He knocked again. No answer still. He opened the door and no one was there. Robb checked everywhere before realizing where his father was. He walked to the Godswood."Father father""Yes Robb What is it?""It's Bran. He fell from the eastern tower. I told mother and Maester Luwin.""Why wasn't I told earlier" Ned said with some anger in his voice."I didn't know where you were" Robb said in a small voice. He took his father to see Bran. News of the incident spread fast. King Robert paid respect as did Cersei, Tommen, Myrcella and practically the entire court. Even Prince Joffrey paid his respects, but Robb suspected he was forced to. Again Grey Wind was uneasy around Cersei and her brother."Perhaps they had something to do with it" Robb thought. The next few days were filled with anxiety. Robb heard his father arguing with King Robert. He tried not listening but he heard everything. Robert needed a new hand but his father refused. Robb hoped he didn't go south. Bad things happen to Starks who go south. He heard the stories of how his uncle and grandfather died and shivered. After the third day of arguing the king gave Ned an ultiminium. Ned would go south and he the hand of the king or Robert would give the title of Warden of the North to the Karstarks. Ned went silent then said yes. Robb was worried. He had seen the dead stag and the direwolf. He had also heard his mother whisper about a prophecy someone named Rhaenys had. He sat up in his bed when he heard the name Rhaenys."That's impossible" thought Robb."Rhaenys Targaryen is in Essos somewhere. Unless she sent word to Ned, but why would she do that? She should hate our family." He thought. He fell asleep and dreamt of Myriah. In his dream he was Nymeros. He tried calling out to her but all that came out was meows."Shhh Nymeros. You'll wake everyone up." Said Larra."Meow" Said Robb. He was scooped up by her and carried to Myriah."How many times do I have to tell you to keep an eye on your cat?" Said Larra."Sorry mama" replied Myriah."Usually he follows me everywhere""I'm glad you still have him" Said an unfamiliar voice. Robb looked around and saw Oberyn Martell."How do they know Oberyn?" Thought Robb"I still can't believe you came back after all this time El~" Oberyn was cut off by someone shaking Robb awake."Our father is leaving." Said Jon.Robb and Jon went to the Godswood where Ned was waiting for them."I need to tell you two something. Something you cannot tell anyone about. Not your brothers not your sisters and especially not the royal family""What is it father?" Asked Robb"Jon is not my son.""What do you mean?" Asked Jon."Jon you are the son of my sister Lyanna and Rhaegar Targaryen" said Ned."Rhaegar Legitimized you before you were born and before he went to Trident. You're Targaryen name is Jaehaerys." Said NedRobb was equally as shocked as Jon."There's something else.""What" Said Robb"Larra Myriah and Samwell are actually Elia, Rhaenys, and Aegon Targaryen." Ned ended his sentence there."Why are you telling me this now?" Asked Jon"Because I will not live to see you again" Ned responded sadly. He told them about the Targaryen's visions and what they meant and Robb found the time to tell him about what he saw. Jon and Robb hugged Ned and Robb wished this moment wouldn't end. When It did Robb asked why Sansa and Arya had to go.

"Sansa is betrothed to prince Joffrey and Arya needs to come with us to avoid suspicion. We think the Lannisters had something to do with Jon Arryn's death." Ned responded. Ned gave the boys time to process this information and the next day Ned rode off with Sansa Arya and the Direwolves. Robb looked at his father for the one last time and wondered how long his father would last. After all, Starks tend to do poorly down south.


	8. Bran

Ned Sansa and Arya were already gone when Elia returned with her children. Elia heard whispers that Catelyn was spending her time sitting in the Godswood or Bran's room, crying, and had been for days. Ever since he fell. She wondered if it was for Bran, her husband or both. She wondered what would happen to Sansa and Arya. The children hadn't said anything about what happened to them, only that Ned and The Usurper would die.

"Are you sure you didn't see what happened to them?" She asked them again.

"I am" Said Rhaenys.

"Yes mother" replied her brother.

As they set up for the day, Robb ran up to them.

"Larra My Mother wants to see you"

"May I open my stall first?" She asked

"It's urgent"

Elia left the stall to be tended by Rhaenys and went to the Great Hall. She was later directed to what she could only assume was Bran's room. Catelyn was sitting next to him and doing some sewing.

"Lady Stark you wanted to see me?"

"My daughters. Will they be safe?" Asked Catelyn.

"I don't know. They only saw what happened to the king and Ned. No one else."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes. That was all they saw." Elia whispered.

Suddenly there was screaming outside. There was a large fire. It was around the marketplace. Elia got permission to leave and ran toward the flames.


	9. Tower Troubles

By the time Elia got to the marketplace the fire had destroyed multiple stalls. Nymerios was howling at her feet and started tugging on her dress. She ignored him at first, searching the flames for her children. She finally looked down at the cat, who ran toward an upturned cart. She heard coughing and the wailing of an animal. She immediately started her attempt to lift the cart. With some help from Robb and those who came to put out the fires, they managed to lift the cart. Aegon and Ashara were underneath, the cat still shrieking. Elia was hysterical. She hadn't been this afraid since the night she and her children fled the capital.

"He's still breathing. He was probably knocked out by the cart or falling rubble. He should be fine" Remarked one of the men. Elia sighed with relief.

"Thank the Gods." Replied Elia. "But my daughter, she's still missing."

"Stay here, we can try to find her after the fires are out." replied another. It was after he said this Elia noticed Nymerios had also disappeared. Suddenly Aegon woke up and coughed a few times.

"Mama?" He Asked.

"I'm here" replied Elia. Elia cradled him for a few moments when they heard a scream came from Lord Bran's room. Just as everyone started to process what happened, the sound of a direwolf's howl filled the courtyard.

"Bran" Robb whispered as he ran toward the tower.

Elia followed him, with Aegon still in her arms. Maester Luwin was outside Bran's door. Rhaenys was with him. She was covered in ash and smelt of fire.

"Mother!" She shouted then began to weep. "Mother I tried to get it off him but everything happened so fast. I tried to get Maester Luwin then we heard screaming from Bran's room. It was like this when we got here." Elia looked in the room and saw blood. And a body. For a second she thought it was Catelyn before she realized that Lady Stark was next to her son. She did not recognize the man without a throat on the floor.

"It was Summer"

"What?" Asked Luwin

"Summer saved us" replied Catelyn. She seemed like she wanted to say more but couldn't. Luwin washed and bandaged her wounds.

"Lady Catelyn Bran has not sustained any additional wounds. May I examine Samwell?" He asked. She nodded.

"You probably shouldn't have moved him, but at the same time if you hadn't he would have died. If he had breathed any more smoke he could have died." Remarked the maester. "His arm is broken but other than a cast he just needs somewhere free of smoke."

"Thank You" replied Elia.

Maester Luwin looked over and treated the rest of the injured and as he did Aegon started mumbling something. It was faint enough that most couldn't hear what was being said, but loud enough that one could tell he was saying something. Elia eventually realized he was repeating the same phrase.

"Fire and Blood".


	10. The Princess’ Problem

The next three days were chaos. Aegon grew distressed around carts and fire while Elia struggled to find work until the next shipment came in. Rhaenys helped with deliveries for the blacksmith but she alone could not provide for her mother and brother. She was also worried about some of the soldiers who patrolled the area near where she worked. They'd always shout at her and every woman who crossed their paths, but recently they had been starting to visit the inn a few doors away. They had been doing so since Ned left but had only gotten worse when Catelyn left for King's Landing. She tried avoiding them but there was always so much she could do, as to their knowledge she was a 17 year old foreigner and they thought themselves to be "honorable members of the Stark guard."

"What do they know. I am a princess of Dorne and trueborn daughter to Rhaegar Targaryen" She thought. She shuttered and kicked herself. She was no longer a princess to the Iron Throne. The Usurper had won it during the war and if she were to try to win it back thousands more would die. That and she had decided long ago she did not want to rule. She would be forced to marry her brother and this alone disgusted her. As she walked home she mentally took note of the pros and cons of being ruling. When she got home she ate quickly and did her chores.

"Mother tomorrow if I finish early can I talk to Robb about the soldiers who patrol by the blacksmith?" Asked Rhaenys.

"Sure, but only if you travel with a group. I don't want you getting hurt." Replied Elia.

"I can go with her" said Aegon.

"Are you sure you're well enough?" Asked Rhaenys. "Yes. I think I'm ok now"

"Are you sure? You've been scared of fire for the last few days." Asked Elia.

"Yes" replied Aegon.

"Fine, but Myriah if he starts to act as he has the last few days bring him straight home"

"Yes mother" replied Rhaenys. Before she drifted off she decided to talk to Robb and have him deal with the soldiers.

The next day Rhaenys finished her deliveries early and began walking to the castle with Aegon. They made sure to avoid the soldiers path and practically ran to the castle. Before they could enter they were stopped by two guards at the gate.

"Lord Stark is not taking anyone today" said one.

"Why?" Asked Rhaenys.

"Lord Bran has woken up." Said the other. Rhaenys' heart skipped.

"Can you tell him that Myriah and Samwell came?" Asked Rhaenys.

"No. But you can come back tomorrow and tell him yourself" said the first guard. They went home and told their mother the news.


	11. Godswood

The knock on the door startled Aegon awake. It was his mother, and after a few moments he remembered what day it was. Every week or two he needed to redye his hair black, as he was not as fortunate as his sister. While he understood why he needed to dye his hair, sometimes Aegon wished he could make his hair red or brown. He had once asked his mother if he could, but she pointed out that people would question why his hair suddenly changed color. He still wondered how he would look with red or brown hair. He dyed his hair and looked at his reflection in a shield. His violet eyes stared back. When he often wondered why no one asked about his eyes, but he heard

A few weeks had passed since Bran had woken up and much had guards who had been harassing Aegon's mother, sister and other women had been reported, punished and sent to different parts of Winterfell. Rumor had it Catelyn had left to investigate the cause of Bran's fall. Aegon didn't want to believe it, but he couldn't help but notice Robb had not invited Rhaenys or himself to the castle, even when Bran had woken up. His suspicions were confirmed when the news came Lady Stark had abducted Tyrion Lannister. The news spread quickly and Winterfell prepared for war. Aegon was working at the Mikken's forge when he received news Robb wanted to see him at the Godswood. As he walked he thought about growing up with him and Jon. They played and studied together, and Robb and Jon helped them learn to fight. While both of them were good teachers, Jon was the better of the two. Jon was always willing to help them when they made mistakes or needed more practice. Robb was less patient with them. He was naturally gifted, and it always made Aegon little jealous of him. He was also incredibly charismatic and honorable. Aegon, while a skilled warrior, was nowhere near his level and would often get tongue tied.

Aegon realized he had passed the entrance to the Godswood three times. As he entered he felt the eyes of the Old Gods staring at him. As a Martell and Targaryen he practiced the Faith of the Seven, but there was something about the Godswood that felt different that the Septs. It felt like there were hundreds of eyes staring at him. The best he could describe was that he felt like an unwelcome guest whenever he entered. The feeling lessened when he was with a Stark, but the feeling was always there, at the back of his mind. He also remembers Rhaenys mentioning she didn't have visions like the death of Ned until they got to Winterfell. Aegon wondered if their Targaryen blood and the proximity to the Godswood had something to do with their visions. Upon entering the Godswood, Aegon found Robb was already waiting for him. He was by the Weirwood Heart tree.

"Are we alone?" asked Aegon

"Yes" replied Robb. "Do you know why I brought you here?"

"No, my Lord" replied Aegon

"A war is coming" Robb began. "My father has been taken hostage in retaliation for Tyrion being taken, and I'm afraid the visions you Rhaenys had are coming true. Even if my father is released, he will just be recaptured when Robert dies."

"So he knows about what we saw" thought Aegon. He then asked "Other than our visions, what does this have to do with my sister and I?"

"Before he left, my father told Jon and I everything. He told us about Jon's true parentage, as well as yours." Robb said looking directly into his eyes. Aegon's heart started pounding and his mind was racing. He tried to think of something to say but he couldn't.

"I want you and Rhaenys to help us fight for the North" asked Robb. Aegon was still speechless when a voice spoke from behind them.

"Why do you want us to fight for the North?" asked Rhaenys.

"You two are the trueborn children of Rhaegar Targaryen, people will rally behind you as the rulers of Weste..." Robb started before being cut off by Rhaenys.

"Technically Joffrey would be the ruler of Westeros."

"True but there are rumors none of Cersei's children are Roberts" replied Robb

"If those rumors are true that would mean Stannis would be the next king. Robert won the throne, so we no longer have the right to rule. Also our grandfather named our uncle as the next heir."

"Maybe so" remarked Robb. "But that doesn't mean the people of Dorne won't support you. If we win we can gain independence for The North and Dorne. You don't even need to rule."

"Who would rule the rest of Westoros? Viserys? From what I've heard he is showing signs of our house's madness" Remarked Rhaenys

"We'd need to appoint someone to the throne who we know will not attempt to reconquer the North" Aegon remarked, finally finding his voice.

"And Dorne" said Robb. Aegon and Rhaenys laughed.

"The original Aegon Rhaenys and Visenya couldn't conquer Dorne and they had Dragons." Aegon pointed out.

"...Fair enough. My question still stands, when the time comes and my father dies, will you fight for me?"

"I-I'm not sure" replied Aegon

"Yes" responded Rhaenys. Aegon was surprised. Robb looked surprised as well. " If we win, we can live in Dorne or come back to Winterfell. Your father gave us sanctuary, at great risk to himself and the North. We were practically raised here" she continued.

"You and Jon helped teach Rhaenys and I how to wield swords." Aegon recalled out loud, "Lady Stark was furious." All three laughed at the memory. Aegon remembered those times fondly.

"I'll fight for you." said Aegon. "I swear by the old Gods and New"

"As do I" said Rhaenys. Both of them knew what they had said and the promise they made was binding, especially since They were in front of the Heart Tree in the Godswood. Robb asked if they were sure, and they confirmed. As Robb and Rhaenys started to walk away Aegon looked at the tree. A familiar yet strange feeling came over him. He heard whispers and something inside him told him to lay a hand on the tree. The forest went silent as he walked to the tree, touched it and collapsed.


	12. Visions

His first vision was of a great field. A girl with white hair and purple eyes was staring at a witch. They seemed to be arguing.

Aegon was incredibly confused. None of his previous visions had been this clear. Usually they were cloaked in symbolism or involved pushing him towards a decision.

"This must be the work of the Old Gods" he thought. He looked back at his aunt. There was no one else it could be. His uncle was dead and no one else other than them had white hair. He noticed she was talking to a witch while a man in his thirties who looked comatose laid nearby.

"...My child was innocent." Daenerys stated. Aegon was disgusted. If he remembered correctly she was younger than him by a year or so. He was angered at the thought of it.

"Innocent? He would have been the stallion who mounts the world. Now he will burn no cities. Now his Khalasar will trample no nations into dust."

"I spoke for you. I saved you." Daenerys said betrayed.

"Saved me? Three of those riders had already raped me before you saved me, girl..." the witch went on to explain the wrongs the Dothraki had done to her people. While Aegon wanted to support his family, he couldn't shake the feeling the witch would have been right. Daenerys turned and stared in his direction, as if she sensed his presence.

"Fire and blood" he whispered before his vision changed.

The first thing Aegon noticed in this vision was that he and Robb were older, around 16 or 17. They were at some sort of celebration, a wedding or a victory feast. Robb was there too, sitting next to his mother and a number of Stark men. A man with pale eyes looked intently at the musicians and made a hand gesture. After a few minutes they started to play a familiar tune, albeit horribly. Aegon eventually recognized the tune as a poor rendition of the Rains of Castamere. The moment he realized this he saw the musicians draw crossbows and the host's bannermen draw swords. Aegon started to shout a warning, but by then it was too late. The next few minutes were a bloodbath. Despite being outnumbered he Aegon and a few others fought as much as they could. Aegon tacked the closest man with a sword and wrestled the weapon out of his hands. He killed the man and ended up taking out around four men before being hit in the side by a crossbow bolt. He felt another two hit him in the chest and a fourth in the leg.

He collapsed on the stone floor and heard a crack. His arm was broken. He raised his head towards where Robb was. Aegon noticed he was desperate to He started to crawl his way to where he last saw him before he heard Catelyn. She was pleading with the host, Walder Frey, to spare Robb. Robb had three arrows in him, and was struggling to stand. He thought of his sister and he watched the pale eyed man stab him in the heart. Catelyn's throat was cut. Aegon was so in shock he didn't notice the man behind him until he felt a sword through his chest. When the sword was pulled out of him, he fell to the floor. As he bled out, he looked at Robb.

"I'm sorry" he whispered. "I'll change this for us." Immediately after he spoke he heard a wolf howl and a strange cry. He saw a predominantly yellow shape with red markings and a lot of fire. His future self seemed to know what it was, but he didn't. The last thing he saw was Robb. Robb was also the first person he saw as he woke up.

"He's waking up" said Robb

"Thank the Gods" exclaimed his sister.

"We turned around and you were having a seizure." Robb.

"I had two visions. Both of the future." Said Aegon

"Tell us what they were about while we take you to Maester Lewin." Said Rhaenys. Aegon told them his visions and how unusually clear cut they were. Catelyn was shocked and Maester told him his visions were likely the result of his seizure. None dared tell him that he'd been right before.

"Dragons." Said Osha

"What?" Asked Aegon.

"The creature you saw at the end of your second dream, could it have been a dragon?" Asked Osha. Aegon thought for a moment. Remembering his vision, he realized the shape had wings and a tail.

"I think you're right" Said Aegon.

"There are no dragons in Westeros. They've been extinct for hundreds of years" said Robb.

"Times are changing m'lord" Said Osha.

"Didn't your father give us two eggs as a gift?" Asked Rhaenys

"And doesn't our aunt have three eggs?" Aegon chimed in. Robb Luwin and Catelyn looked worried, and Aegon couldn't blame them.

"Dragons were the most dangerous creatures on earth. Their return could be our downfall or victory." Thought Aegon.


	13. Prisoner Blues

Robb couldn't sleep. The roads to his lord's castles were long, and at this point news of his father's capture was common knowledge and there were those who called his father a traitor, even in the North. He had heard what his father had been saying about the royal children. This meant the Targaryen children's visions were coming true, and he knew he was in over his head. He didn't know how to wage war, how to rally houses or what to do after he got his sisters back.

"If I get my sisters back." He thought. He worried for his sisters, especially Arya. He dreamed that she was on the streets of King's Landing. He would call her name but only hissing or chirping came out. Usually he dreamt he was Grey Wind, but whenever he saw Arya he was a cat or a bird. He wondered if his siblings had similar dreams as his. Dreams where they entered an animal's mind and wandered around. Robb dismissed the notion.

"There are no wargs." he thought. "Not anymore anyways."

He tried sleeping again, but it was no use. He was going to rally the The talk of dragons was also worrying him. He had so many questions about them and no answers. Even if the Targaryen's eggs did hatch, how would they care for them? And what of the Targaryen girl to the East? According to reports she had three dragons eggs, and could they hatch as well? If so, could any egg be awakened?

Robb decided to write down these questions for his war council. If no one could answer them, then he would send for Maester Luwin. Sending for him would be challenging, as a raven or messenger would be intercepted.

"There has to be a way" he thought. He spent the night writing down questions until he fell asleep at his desk, where his mother and Elia found and woke him.

"Mother what are you doing here?" He asked, still half asleep.

"I returned from the Eyrie. Replied Catelyn as he woke up completely.

"And where is Tyrion Lannister?" Elia glared at Catelyn, who looked nervous.

"I let him go" she finally admitted. Robb was shocked.

"You what?" He practically yelled

"He demanded a trial by combat and his champion won."

"He was a valuable hostage. We could have traded him for father or my sisters!" he practically yelled.

"I know but~"

"Mother you should leave. I need time to think" Robb remarked coldly. She did as she was asked and left the tent. He was still reeling from the information he was given. He knew the other lords would be furious over this, and would likely demand action. He couldn't believe his mother would be foolish enough to let such a valuable hostage escape.

"My Lord?" Elia said, startling Robb. He had forgotten she was there.

"Yes Larra?" he replied

"Is there somewhere we can speak privately."

"No." Robb snapped. He didn't mean for it to come out so harsh.

"Sorry, I have had a lot on my mind lately. Unfortunately there's nowhere else to go." He said in a softer tone. Elia still looked nervous.

"Very well then, I have gotten a raven from Dorne. Apparently there are claims two children, a boy and a girl, in Essos are Aegon VI and Rhaenys Targaryen, the children of Rhaegar and Elia. Samwell and I would like to go investigate these claims." Elia said, clearly choosing her words carefully.


	14. Shocking News

Robb was so stunned his fury about Tyrion vanished.

"Who would impersonate Rhaenys and Aegon?" he thought. Then the realization hit him. "Either they couldn't find the real Rhaenys and Aegon or someone who wants imposters on the throne."

"How do you know these rumors are true?" asked Robb, also choosing his words carefully.

"My brother heard stories of him when visiting Essos last. He said the boy had his hair dyed blue and the girl was Dornish." Said Elia. "He also claims to have seen them marching towards the Dothraki sea."

"Is that all?" He asked

"No." Elia lowered her voice to a whisper. "The children are traveling with Jon Connington."

Robb was shocked.

"I thought he was dead." he whispered back.

"Apparently not." She replied.

"My brother has stated the Golden Company supports them. If true, we could be dealing with powerful enemies when they get to Westeros" Stated Elia in her normal speaking voice.

"Do you have a plan for when you encounter them? I can send others to investigate these rumors and act upon them. Maybe we could even strike an alliance with them if they are who they say they are." Robb stated. He didn't want Elia or Aegon harmed by the pretenders, and creating an alliance with them, even a temporary one, could ensure his sister's safety.

"I insist upon going, I need to see these people with my own eyes." She said with a certain .

Robb realized she was set in her ways and would not take no for an answer.

"Fine, you may go" he said before lowering his voice to a whisper. "But only if you stop in Dorne and ask your brother to aid you. I will not have you risk your life any more than necessary." Elia nodded and left the tent. He turned to Grey Wind and sighed.

"We have a long road ahead of us, we don't need anymore enemies" he told his pet, as he wondered how he would break the news of Tyrion's release and Elia's departure to his bannermen.


	15. Awakening the Dragon

Few members of the Stark family were surprised when news came from Kings Landing regarding Ned's death. It was only a matter of time after Robert died, and now the crown was on the head of a lion. The only ones who didn't know were Bran and Rickon, and even then they had dreamt of seeing him in the crypts. Ned was the closest thing to a father figure Rhaenys and Aegon had, and being warned of his death didn't lessen the pain they had. Robb had spent the morning taking out his anger on a tree, where his mother found and mourned with him. Rhaenys had seen Catelyn wander into the forest when she went to pay her respects. She noticed Cat hunch over a tree and let out a muffled cry, before noticing Robb and going to comfort him."Family, Duty, Honor" Rhaenys recalled. "The Tully house words." She watched as Catelyn calmed him down and spoke to him. Catelyn reminded her of her own mother. Both women were strong, kind, and loved their children more than life itself. Rhaenys missed Elia, but if there were people impersonating them, they needed to stop them before they got to Westeros. When Robb and Catelyn walked back she intercepted them."I'm sorry about Lord Eddard your graces" she said while bowing."What's done is done. The only thing we can do now is get Sansa and Arya, kill Joffrey, and declare independence. When that's done you and Aegon can either take the throne or live in peace wherever you like." Said Robb. A chill went down Rhaenys' spine, and a strange feeling came over her."Killing Joffrey will be the least of our problems when Winter comes" came a thought from the back of her mind. She tried to ignore it, but the sense something wicked was coming didn't go away."Are you alright Rhaenys? You've gone pale." Asked Catelyn"Yes" she lied. "I'm just a little cold. I'll head back to my tent.""Rhaenys before you go, there's something I need to tell you." Caitlyn said with urgency."What is it?""They know."Rhaenys' heart stopped."What" was all she managed to squeak out"The Lannisters know about you, Elia and Aegon. It came with the news about Ned. I also was told to give you this by your uncle if they ever did." said Catelyn, handing her a knife imbued with precious stones. "He says you should keep it with you at all times.""Thank You." she said, She'd have to thank him if she ever saw him. "Does my mother know?""Maester Luwin sent two Ravens, one to Essos and one to Dorne, the moment he read the letter.""What should we do?""We need to send a party to Dorne in order to negotiate an alliance. This shouldn't be too hard, as you and Aegon have been our allies since the beggining." said Robb. "For now, lets get some rest. I'll assign a guard to your tent as a precaution."

Rhaenys agreed, and went to her tent. It had been an eventful day and she needed to get some more sleep if she was going to be useful to the war effort. She grabbed the dragon egg Ned gave to her from its hiding place. As the light brought out the blue specks in the purple she thought of a twilight sky. Her mother and brother had taken the other egg, the golden yellow one with blood red streaks for luck and in hopes to trade it for the Golden Company if things went bad. She wondered if Aegon had the same dreams she did. Dreams of fire and magic, as well as bones and ice. Sometimes she thought she heard whispering from the egg, but she ignored it. She then gave her attention to the knife her uncle gave her. It was beautifully made, and was around seven inches. It had a Sapphire in the center of the hilt, a moonstone on the right and a piece of polished obsidian on the left. There was also an emerald on the bottom of the hilt."It must have cost Oberyn a fortune or two to make this" she thought. She admired it for a while before hiding it under her pillow and falling asleep with her egg.

Rhaenys woke up to Grey Wind howling. It was dark, and she was still clutching the dragon egg. She grabbed the dagger she hid underneath her pillow, then scrambled around for a candle. After she managed to light a few, she didn't see anything out of the ordinary. The only thing that was odd was Grey Wind's howling. She grabbed a candle and began to walk back to her bed. As she passed the entrance she stepped in a puddle. She didn't need to check what she stepped in as the smell of blood soured the air. The guard assigned to her room was dead. She looked over to see an unknown figure standing a few feet away from her. He was wearing a cloak that obscured his face and most of his body."Rhaenys Targaryen, in the name of King Joffrey Baratheon, King of the Andals and the First Men I sentence you to die" said the assassin, before swinging his blade. Rhaenys heard whispering coming from close by."He must have allies" she thought as she dodged his attack. He swang at her again and missed her by a few inches when Grey Wind jumped on him. The wolf bit his blade hand as Rhaenys struck him in the back with her knife."Grey Wind off" she shouted, grabbing the assassin's blade. The direwolf backed down and Rhaenys stepped on the fresh wound on his arm. The man screamed in pain. She knelt down and pressed his blade to his neck."Did you really think you could kill me?" She Asked. "I am the daughter of the Last Dragon and I will not go out easily"."Yes you will" he choked out before grabbing a tablecloth and pulling it. Rhaenys dodged it but the damage was done. Candles ignited the side of her tent, forcing her and Grey Wind to flee. As it burst into flames, the whispering in Rhaenys' mind grew louder With the magic of Old Valyria flowing through her veins, she stood transfixed at the sight of the flames, weaving a spell as the assassin screamed and the tent burned. Robb and the Lords of the Great Houses of Winterfell found her next to the remains of the tent, with a deep purple dragon with shimmering blue wings perched on her shoulder.


	16. Myr

Elia, Aegon, and Oberyn had been travelling for two fortnights before they finally got to Myr. According to reliable sources this was where the Golden Company was currently being hired out.

Elia had always wondered why Jon Connington had joined them. He was an honorable man once, even if he looked at her with jealousy in his eyes. Elia had heard rumors about his relationship with Rhaegar, and did not hate him for falling in love with him.

"Everyone who loved Rhaegar at one point or another got hurt in the end." She thought. "My children and I lost a home, Jon Connington his livelihood, Jaeharys a father, and Lyanna her childhood."

Elia didn't know what happened to Lyanna, but she thought of her often. She didn't blame the girl for running away with Rhaegar. He was handsome and the Crown Prince, how could a girl of 14 say no?

"Wherever she is, I hope she is well" she thought as they approached the gates of Myr.

"This is it." Said Oberyn

"It is" Elia replied. Aegon looked nervous.

"Are you okay my son?" She asked him.

"Yeah. I'm just nervous." He replied. Elia wasn't convinced. He had seemed different over the past few days, and was acting as he did after the Fire at Winterfell. The gates opened and Elia braced herself. Oberyn had sent a few soldiers a few days ahead of them, and Elia prayed that they weren't dead. She clutched the bag with the yellow egg close as they entered. Their plan was to find the head of the Golden Company and bribe him with the egg. At least it was until one of Oberyn's soldiers walked up to them. He whispered something in her brother's ear, and Oberyn looked surprised.

"Are you sure?" asked Oberyn

"Saw it myself" replied the soldier

"What is it?" asked Elia

"The man we're looking for gave Harry Strickland an egg as payment for their services." said the soldier. "It's dark shade of green, yet when held up to the light, turns emerald."

"Where in seven hells did Jon Connington get a dragon egg?" asked Oberyn

"We do not know" said the soldier. Just then, Elia spotted a child running away from them. She got Oberyn's attention and pointed out the child. He ordered another soldier to follow the child, then report back to him.

A few hours later the soldier came back.

"They know" Said the soldier before dropping dead.


	17. Myriah

Myriah didn't understand why she still had to pretend to be Rhaenys. The Martells had known where the real royal children had been the entire time and she missed her real brother, Olyvar. The last time she saw him was when she left Dorne four years ago. She had been ten years of age when she left, and Eight when Varys first came to her. He spent those two years teaching her how to act like a princess and kept her and her brother off the streets during that time. He had told her he would take care of them if she did this, and she foolishly believed him. She thought about some of the things Varys had done to ensure their secret was kept and wondered if Olyvar was even still alive.

"Myriah, we need to leave, NOW!" Yelled Connington.

"Coming!" She yelled back, grabbing the last of her things. She felt bad for Connington. She wondered how a man so intelligent and cynical managed to believe every word that came out of Varys' mouth. She walked downstairs to see Jon arguing with Harry Strickland about leaving Myr. She didn't like Harry, as he was old, fat, cowardly and too proud for his own good. Myriah also didn't like the way his eyes lingered on her and any maiden who came into his view. Jon was also especially protective of her whenever he was around. She stayed away from him whenever possible.

"...We've never broken a contract before!" Harry practically bellowed. He was holding the Dragon egg Jon had given him as payment. She didn't know where Varys got it, but it was beautiful.

"Well we need too. Myriah and Young Griff are in danger." Jon said in a quieter tone, attempting to recapture some semblance of a private conversation.

"We've just got here though! My feet are still sore from marching!"

"Then get a horse. We're leaving as soon as Rhaenys is ready." At that moment they noticed her. Jon stood up and Harry stared at her in the way she hated. She reached in her bag and held the bright red rock her brother gave her. It was smooth and somewhat oval shaped, and perfectly fit in her hand. Her brother told her it would bring her good luck and was the last gift he gave her.

It was dark outside when she and Connington walked outside. Jon had some soldiers carry her luggage to some carts and they exited the city. Most of The Golden Company were staying in tents outside the city. Myr could not house most of the soldiers, forcing them to camp there. The largest tent was where Jon, Harry and a few others planned attacks. Soldiers were struggling to pack up their tents and she followed Harry and Jon into the tent, while they were continuing their argument. Young Griff was already in the tent, attempting to bury a bug in the dirt. Mariah started to watch him.

He was a curious boy, and incredibly intelligent. Varys, Jon and Illyrio has taught them well, though he could often be loud and impulsive. She wondered if he knew he was a fake or if he actually believed he was the true Aegon. He seemed to play the part of Aegon Targaryen well but recently he had been asking questions that would get anyone else killed. Just a few days before, he had asked Jon about the Blackfyres. Jon had given a brief history of them, seemed uncomfortable with the subject. Personally, Myriah suspected was that he was from the surviving Blackfyre line Jon mentioned, but kept that information to herself. It would explain why the Golden Company was so eager to help them, and why he had Targaryen features.

"Why can't we just bargain with them? I'm sure-"

"Shhhh" interrupted Jon. This made Myriah jump, as well as Young Griff. Suddenly she began to smell smoke.

"Fire!!!" someone yelled, and Jon rushed out of the tent. Myriah began to follow him, but Harry grabbed her arm.

"You're not going anywhere little princess." He hissed, dragging her closer to him. She began to struggle but his grip was hard as stone. He began dragging her to the war table, while she screamed and fought back as much as she could.

"Let her go!" Young Griff yelled, and began to hit him with a stick he had found. Harry's trip loosened as he tried to swap the boy away. Myriah wriggled out of his grip and grabbed the first thing to her right, and threw it at Strickland. It hit him in the back of the head. There was a crack and the man collapsed. She looked at what she had thrown. It was the dragon egg Connington had given him as payment. Young Griff pushed the body off of himself.

"That was close" remarked Griff. "Is he dead?"

"I think so" replied Myriah. As if on cue, Strickland grunted. "...Nevermind."

Now that Strickland had been dealt with the sound of fighting filled the air, joining the noise of tents burning and the screaming already present. Myriah wondered how this would be explained to the people of Myr after it was over.

"What should we do?"

"Find Jon, he'll keep us safe."

As Myriah turned around she saw a figure in the doorway. Her heart stopped for a few moments. The figure walked closer and she realized it was a boy around her age. He was pale with black hair, and was wearing the armor of the Second Sons. Despite his armor he wielded a sword and shield. He also appeared to have a small bag much like Myriah's.

"Who are you?" Asked Young Griff.

"I would ask you the same thing, but it appears I've found who I'm looking for." Said the Stranger.

"You didn't answer my question" Said Griff, raising the stick he had. The Stranger easily disarmed him and pinned him to the ground with his sword.

"False King Aegon in the name of the True King I am placing you and the false princess under arrest. You are now- FUCK" yelled the Stranger as Myriah tackled him. As she did something fell out of his bag, but she didn't notice what it was. She placed a knife Varys gave her at his throat and looked into his violet eyes.

"It can't be" she thought. She looked closer at the boy. He had Valerian features, but what she convinced her of his identity was his hair. The hair closest to his scalp was as white as snow.

"Fuck me" she whispered in shock.

"Uhhh Rhaenys, we need to leave" yelled Young Griff. Myriah looked up and gasped. She had accidentally knocked over a brazier when she tackled Aegon and now the tent was going up in flames, fast. Myriah got up, as did Aegon and they began to run out of the tent. As they did Myriah felt something choking her. She looked down to see her bag, caught on the table. Aegon picked up his sword and cut at the strap, freeing her, but spilling the contents of her bag. She tried to grab the stone, her last memory of her brother, but she was being dragged out of the burning tent by Aegon. Once they got out of the tent, it was total chaos. Most of the soldiers were trying to put the fires out, and some were fighting a small force of mercenaries. Her heart was pounding, but she kept a tight grip on young Griff's arm. She began to move away from the burning tent but she noticed Aegon staring at the tent, muttering something.

"Rhaenys!, Aegon!" Shouted a voice. The two turned around to see Connington running towards them, followed by two others, a man and a woman. Both of them were Dornish, highborn by the looks of them. The true Aegon remained transfixed on the tent, still muttering in a translike state.

"What's going on? What did you do to the true Aegon?" Shouted the Man.

"Nothing. He started doing that when the tent went into flames"

"Where's Strickland?" Asked Connington

"He's in the tent. We didn't have time to get him out" Said Griff.

"Why can't he get himself out?" Asked the woman. Myriah and Griff explained what went on in planing to the adults while the tent burned. A few moments after they finished, a new voice joined the screams. It was Strickland's.

"Poor bastard must have woken up." Remarked Oberyn.

"What should we do?" Asked Aegon.

"There's nothing we can do. Right now, we can only wait." Said Elia.

Myriah, Elia and Young Griff stayed by Aegon and the tent for the rest of the night, while Oberyn and Jon helped put out the fires.

By morning the fires had stopped and Myriah and young Griff awoke to several people gasping. Myriah was confused until she looked at where the tent once stood. Elia and Aegon both were holding newborn dragons, one yellow with red wings and the other a dark green that turned a more traditional green when the light hit it. Myriah began to walk towards the tent. As she got closer she heard a chirping noise. She looked down to see a baby bird, covered in ash, next to the remnants of its red egg. She picked it up and held it close. She then turned and continued to gawk at the dragons.


	18. Dusk's Dragon

It had been nearly a month since dragons had returned to the world, and the red comet appeared in the sky. Rhaenys' dragon slept on a blanket next to the war table. Rhaenys was sitting on a chair, also fast asleep while a book about her ancestors sat in her lap. She had fallen asleep hours ago, when Robb first started planning his next move on the Lannisters. It had been an eventful month, even without the dragon situation. Robb had captured Jamie Lannister a few days after the dragon hatched, and he was under heavy guard day and night. Catelyn was trying to negotiate passage with the Frey's, while Elia and Aegon where still in Essos. Because of this, he did not blame her for falling asleep in odd places. Plus Rhaenys always looked peaceful as she slept. Robb hadn't noticed until that moment how much she looked like her mother. She was less sickly, sure, but she had the same kind face and smile Elia had, as well as olive skin and dark hair common in Dorne. Her eyes were a dark purple, something he had only noticed a few days before. He had always thought they were dark brown or black but only noticed when he looked closely one night. He remembered Aegon's eyes being a simular shade.

"I wish Aegon was here." he thought,before recalling what he knew.

Elia and Aegon had dragons as well, Robb saw them in his dreams. He had gotten better at warging once he realized he truly entered the minds of animals. Elia's dragon was as yellow as the sun and had blood red wings, while Aegon's was a dark green until the sun hit it, then it turned an Emerald green. He had heard their names as well. Elia called hers Sunspear, while her son called his Greensight. They were headed to a small town with the prisoners where Elia knew some of the leaders. Apparently Aegon had dreamt of finding something there, but what Robb never heard. He always woke up before he heard what they were searching for.

"Whatever it is, it must be important." thought Robb as he grabbed the book out of Rhaenys' hand and placed it on the table. They had just received books on the beasts from a courier sent by Maester Luwin. Robb looked at the sleeping dragon. So far, she was a little larger than a cat and only ate cooked meat. Neither of these facts surprised Robb, as dragons did not hatch fully grown and breathing fire, though they did grow fast. What did surprise him and everyone else, was that she slept during the day and did her business at night. Poor Rhaenys had to follow her example in order to start training her. Even so, the beast would be a major asset once it grew, and it's presence managed to keep up morale. It was this morale that played a role in Robb's capture of Jamie Lannister a few weeks before. Robb's men began calling Rhaenys the Champion of Twilight. He also heard them call her the Princess of Twilight, but Robb did not stop them. He did not know what to say, as it was painfully obvious who she was.

Rhaenys' Dragon woke up and chirped groggily at him. Her eyes looked like two stars, something Robb noticed the moment he first saw the beast. The dragonling stretched her wings, and yawned, light reflecting off silver needles that were her teeth. It was a curious little thing, her dragon. Not only was she active at night, she also was very quiet. Sometimes Robb would forget she was there at all. The dragonling looked at the Stark intently, then chirped expectantly.

"What do you want?" asked Robb. She stared at him for a moment as if processing the question, then began to crawl her way to him and nuzzled his pocket.

"Oh!" he thought as he pulled some dried meat out of his pocket. The dragon ate the meat happily, as she did, Rhaenys woke up. Robb looked outside and noticed it was dusk.

"How long have I been asleep?" asked Rhaenys

"A few hours." Robb replied. "I just feed your dragon."

"Thank you. I think I have a name for her."

"What is it?"

"Nightshade."


	19. The Hidden Spring

(Note: I changed Morran's name to Lewyn)

Jynessa and Lewyn sat at the bank of the Hidden Spring by their village. It was always peaceful, and would light up beautifully during sunset and sunrise. Jynessa enjoyed spending time at the spring, and Lewyn seemed to as well. He was a lot more at peace by the spring than he was usually, as running Rhoyne's Cove was no easy task, and put a lot of stress on him. It put stress on all the founders, but Lewyn was the one who addressed the townsfolk most often and announced the solutions they had come up with. This could be a problem when the townsfolk disagreed with a choice they made, or angry about something they could not change. Fear and anger often clouded people's judgement, something both knew all too well. Lewyn was chosen to deliver the news as he was the most articulate and wise. His looks certainly helped as well. He had plain yet attractive features, golden brown eyes, olive skin, and a kind smile. He was muscular despite his limp, something he was often asked about but rarely answered.

Jynessa's thoughts drifted back to the spring. She, Lewyn and a few others found it about a fortnight beforehand, as they were mapping the area. It was a half day's horse ride from the town and was well hidden behind a wall of trees and bushes. The Spring was a sacred place, Jynessa could feel it and so could Lewyn. Why is it called to them then was a mystery, as they had likely passed it several times over the years. Neither could explain how they found it. They had been riding for hours and had runout of water. Lewyn had claimed to have followed a rainbow path leading to the spring. Jynessa had not seen this, but she trusted his judgment. Even so, after they got to the spring and drank from it she had seen a large horned turtle staring at them. It was the Old Man of the River, she was sure of it. What He was doing in a spring, she was not certain, but they were meant to find this spring. When they got back The Septon who lived in their town believed that the Seven Faced God intended them to find it. The Maester who lived there explained it away as delirium mixed with luck. Later that night a red comet appeared in the sky, which the Septon took as a sign he was right. He began to refer to them as The God's Chosen, while the people of the village whispered different theories to each other. Many believed the Septon while others agreed with the Maester that it was a coincidence. Still another party believed it was a sign of Dragons and magic coming back to the world.

No matter the explanation, The Sacred Spring provided Jynessa a way to practice the ways of Mother Rhoyne in private, and a way for Lewyn to pray to the Seven-Faced God. Jynessa had grown up learning the ways of the Orphans of The Greenblood, but had not been able to practice when she was brought to King's Landing. She would not be able to practice properly for years, until they fled to Essos and founded Rhoyne's shithole of a city robbed her of nearly everything, her religion, freedom and one of her brothers.

On the flip side, Lewyn was a devout follower of the Seven, even after his leg was shattered. It happened during an encounter with Robert Baratheon at the Trident, a little before Elia and her company fled. Lewyn didn't like talking about it. Despite the Royal Pardon he received, the moment Lewyn was well enough to travel he sailed to Essos in order to find Elia and Rhaella. This meant leaving Jynessa's brother Olyvar alone in King's Landing. Lewyn managed to find them in Qohor, though Elia and Rhaella decided to part ways with their children shortly after. Lewyn stayed with Elia, Jynessa and half the Targaryn Loyalists, while the other half went with Rhaella. Jynessa hated those words. She stopped being loyal to the Targaryens the day Rhaegar ran away with a girl no older than 14, leaving his wife, children, and kingdom to his mad father's mercy. Thousands of men, women and children died for his actions. She remembered how their travels forced them and a caravan to travel down Mother Rhoyne, where they barely survived traversing the Sorrows. A chill went down Jynessa's spine as she remembered the close call with the stone men, but that was a story for another time. She pushed the memory away and thought of founding Rhoyne's Cove.

They had been north of Valysar when Lewyn and Jynessa felt Mother Rhoyne's call. They and a few members of the caravan could not bring themselves to leave the patch of land. Princess Elia and the caravan leader recognized the potential of a settlement there and let them stay. Elia and the leader managed to convince the leaders of Volantis of its potential and sent supplies and soldiers while With the supplies they had, the Founders managed to make Rhoyne's Cove a prospering village in the years after the Sack. Even so, Jynessa and the others could tell times were changing. Talk of war became news of war, and the founders knew it would spread to Essos in one way or another. It always did. War would break out between at least two houses, news would spread like wildfire and people would choose sides. Once everyone in Westeros chose sides, it would spread to Essos. The Founders prepared for the worst, as spring was beginning to end and when war came to Essos Rhoyne's Cove would be a good target for attacks. Her loyalty lay with Elia, Lewyn and the village she helped build.

"War never changes." Thought Jynessa as they saddled their horses and rode back to Rhoyne's Cove.


	20. A Familiar Face

(Thank You iZuikaku for bringing the formatting issue to my attention)

(I Changed Morran's name to Lewyn)

When they arrived the town was filled with an uncommon murmuring. Jynessa stopped a boy in the street.

"What is going on?" Asked Jyenessa

"Some strangers have come to the town." said the boy.

"Lots of strangers come to this town."

"People are saying they're from Dorne. Isn't that where you two are from?" asked the boy.

"Yes" replied Jynessa. Her heart stopped for a moment as she struggled to find the right words. "Thank you, run along. It's almost nightfall."

The boy nodded and did as he was told. Lewyn turned to her.

"It can't be them, can it?" asked Lewyn in a whisper .

"It's possible." Jynessa whispered back. "We need to be sure. Let's check the inn."

The pair practically ran to the inn. It was crowded, and the two spent nearly an hour searching it. The boy was right, there were a lot of Dornishmen in the inn and tavern. While searching, they noticed a boy with blue hair and a girl with an orange and crimson, eagle-like bird being escorted by no less than four soldiers. It was around this time they noticed Elia and a black haired boy struggling through the crowd. Elia and the boy each were clutching large boxes that clearly had some sort of animals in them. Jynessa got a strange feeling in her stomach. Whatever was in those boxes were made of fire and the screams of men. Even so, she felt they were as connected to Elia and the boy as Serena's son was with his pet. She was about to call Elia's name before remembering they were in public. It took her a second to recall the name Elia had chosen.

"Larra?" she said in a loud voice. Elia turned around and froze.

"Nessa? Lewyn?" exclaimed Elia. Jynessa went to hug her but she recoiled. She turned to the boy and said, "Sam, can you make it to our room by yourself?"

"Yes mother" replied the boy Jynessa realized was Aegon.

"Are you sure you can handle it?"

"Yes" said the boy as he ran off with his box. Elia turned to them. A series of hisses came out of her box.

"Shhh" she whispered. Whatever was in the box continued hissing and shaking.

"What's going on?" Asked Jynessa

"I can't explain here." replied Elia. "Let's go for a walk."

Elia grabbed Jynessa's hand and started to walk out, while Lewyn followed close behind. Jynessa felt Oberyn's gaze followed her and Lewyn as they were rushed out the door by his sister.

"Where are the rest of the founders? They will need to hear this as well." said Elia the moment they stepped outside.

There were Nine in the Council of Founders, Moran and Jynessa included. Twice a week, they would meet and discuss how to deal with the Village's problems. The Council in Rhoyne's Cove prided itself on listening to and fixing the problems of its people in a way that benefitted the town as a whole. Elia, Lewyn, and Jynessa walked to the meeting house and rang the summoning bell.

"Does Serena still live here?" asked Elia as they waited.

"Yes" said Jynessa. She had known this question had been coming. Elia looked angry for a moment, then sighed. Xhondo was the first to arrive, then Chataya. Both were from the Summer Isles. Xhondo worked as a trader and was the main reason Rhyone's Cove became prosperous. before settling in the Village. The rest of the founders showed up in less than five minutes except Beric, Jynessa's youngest brother. By the time they were in the primary meeting house, Elia began to speak.

"Can all of you promise to keep a secret?" she asked, placing the box on the table. Everyone in the Council nodded. Lewyn shifted uncomfortably and Jynessa wondered if he sensed the beast's nature as well.

"Dragons have returned to the world, and I have proof." Elia said. Before anyone could react she opened the box and out crawled a dragon, small and golden.


	21. King's Landing

(Note: I changed Morran's name to Lewyn)

Beric woke up at dawn, just as he had been doing for years. He put his armor on and walked towards the Inquisitor room in the Red Keep. Ser Beric was the acting head of the Knights Inquisitor in King's Landing while the current head was captured. There were many squads of Knights Inquisitor, but Beric and a few others were required to stay in the Capitol to investigate internal threats. So far, Beric had determined the biggest threat to the King in King's Landing was the King himself. The King on the other hand, insisted it was the half Robert's Former Council and the North. He wasn't completely wrong, but he still underestimated the enemies he had. Beric looked at the reports again.  
"It'd be easier to list people who aren't a threat to the crown" thought Beric. He did mentally have a list, which consisted of his mother, grandfather and siblings. The reports were mostly the same, smallfolk loitering around and/or vandalizing the walls of the Red Keep, a servant accused of thievery, ect. Beric had seen the graffiti, which was mostly crude drawings of Joffrey executing someone or Cersei and Ser Jaimie sleeping together. He couldn't blame them with the way Joffrey was ruling. Officially, the King had ordered the City Watch and Knights to execute any vandals found, but most just turned a blind eye and chased them away.  
Things had only gotten worse since Joffrey ascended and killed Eddard Stark, and the Smallfolk the crown more than ever. There were food shortages and people were starving. It didn't take a maester to see those loitering around the Keep were hoping for scraps from the banquets Joffrey had. Seeing the amount of food he wasted didn't help people's opinion of him. People were starving and he was wasting food. Even the knights and Gold Cloaks were being fed less, something Beric often heard others complaining about.  
"At least we're being fed." he would always think, but he refrained from saying this out loud. He was always an outsider, a Dornishman in the Capital, but his past as a former member of Rhaegar's guard haunted him just as much. Few confronted him directly about it, but he heard whispers from Smallfolk and Nobles alike. He ignored them most of the time, but occasionally he found himself wishing he had left with Lewyn. He couldn't say exactly why he chose to stay in Westeros, but he did. His siblings and his friends had fled, not to mention that he had sworn to protect the prince's family. Still, that night something inside him forced him to stay. He and many of the soldiers who surrendered at the Trident had been pardoned by Robert, but Lewyn planned on leaving the moment he was able. He remembered the night Lewyn begged him to go with him as if it had happened the day before. Beric had agreed to help him to the ship to Essos, as he still had trouble walking, even with the cane his family sent him. The Maester said his leg would get better over time, but his limp would never go away. Even with the news, he was determined to help the banished Royals. After helping him on the ship Lewyn grabbed him, his grip as strong as steel.  
"Come with me." He asked gently, his golden brown eyes shining in the torchlight.  
"I can't. Someone needs to stay and keep an eye on Robert." He replied. He leaned over to Lewyn, handed him some parchment and whispered "I'll send couriers."  
Lewyn read the note, nodded and they embraced for the last time. The note had instructions for a code they'd use, as they both had lived in the Capitol long enough to know couriers could be intercepted.  
As Beric remembered this old feelings for his old friend reawoke in him, feelings he thought he had grown out of. He pushed these feelings down and focused on his duty. There was a knock on the door. It was one of Varys' Birds. The child whispered the relevant information in his ear. Another cook had poisoned Joffrey's latest taste tester. Beric got up and walked towards the man's room. If he was lucky he would beat the Queen.  
Beric didn't trust Varys, but if he wanted to keep his head he needed the Spider's birds. He had met the Spider when he was given his position by Robert, who figured the Master of Whispers and members of the Knights Inquisitor would work best together. The king was wise to have them work together, but it often felt like he was working for the Spider instead of the King.  
"I probably am." thought the Knight as he walked to the kitchens.  
When he got to the room the Spider was there. The taste tester was lying on his bed, motionless.  
"What happened?" he asked Varys.  
"He tested the food as he was paid to. Around a half hour later he began trembling and complained of dizziness. He was guided to his room and we were sent for when he stopped moving."  
"What did he eat?" asked Beric  
"He had some wine, and a main dish, boar with various vegetables covering it." said a servant.  
Beric walked up to the man and looked at him. Food usually was tested multiple times at different points of cooking in case of incidents like this. The poor man's breathing was slow, as well as his heartbeat. There was fear in his eyes.  
"Get me the chefs and gardeners. He was poisoned with hemlock, so unless they used gloves whoever handled it should have rashes." said Beric. Varys nodded, then sent a few gold cloaks to the kitchens. Beric turned to the poor taste tester. "I'm sorry, but there is nothing that can be done."  
"Ser, are you coming? There's nothing more that can be done" asked Varys  
"In a moment. A man shouldn't have to spend his final hours alone." Beric said, grabbing the man's hand. He felt the man's hand tighten slightly around his. "Does he have a family?"  
Varys shook his head. The two of them spent the remainder of the taste tester's life by his side, while the chef who poisoned the food was sentenced to death. Joffrey would've had his family killed as well, but he'd already ordered their deaths a fortnight prior.  
It was dusk when the taste tester finally passed, and Ser Beric began to walk to his chambers.. When he got halfway there, he heard footsteps coming from behind him. It was Daemon. He was one of Littlefinger or Varys' spies, he was sure of it. He and a man by the name of Steffon had been spending time with him after he witnessed an incident involving the Kingslayer climbing down from the Queen's chambers one night a few weeks beforehand. They didn't do much, though they often made idle conversation. Beric had lived in King's Landing long enough to be able to spot spies with ease, though even then Daemon and Steffon didn't exactly make it hard. They worked for Littlefinger or Cersei, Varys had his birds and few others Gold Cloaks under their thumbs. Cersei especially would be interested in what he did or didn't see that night.  
"Hello Beric." said Daemon, coming a little to close for Beric's comfort.  
"Hello Daemon" replied Beric, forcing a smile and taking a step back.  
"You were supposed to meet me at the Barracks at midday!" he said in a tone that reminded Beric of a disappointed lover. He looked coyly at Beric, clearly expecting an explanation. It was times like this Beric was reminded how much he hated how Dorne and people like him were viewed by outsiders. Daemon was acting out every stereotype in the book, and not even well.  
"Sorry, I lost track of time. I had to take care of the most recent taste tester."  
"Did you now? What happened to him?" Daemon asked with seemingly genuine interest.  
"Poisoned with hemlock. We wouldn't have seen symptoms for at least a half hour after if Joffrey had eaten it." he said out loud. Beric knew this would be reported back to someone, Cersei being the most likely person.  
"Is that all?"  
"Yes."  
As they walked back he began to talk about his day. After a few minutes Beric began to wonder which of them was the spy. When they got back Daemon excused himself and ran off. Beric wondered how long it would take for him to report back and who would be talking to him in a few hours. Beric often told Daemon and Steffon the truth in situations like this, as other spies would back up his information and often saved time.  
As he walked past the Godswood he heard crying. He did not need to look to know who it was. The poor girl had been crying for weeks. Beric couldn't blame her losing a father was hard, but being forced to watch him executed by that shitstain of a king must have been awful. He couldn't help but notice that history was repeating itself. A Stark girl was missing, a father was butchered in front of his child, and a vicious king ruled the kingdom.  
"Not that he's even a king" thought Beric. Rumors about the King's parentage spread like wildfire the moment the Hand lost his head. Even so, rumors of Joffrey and his sibling's true parentage were not new. They had been around years before Robert looked in Eddard Stark's direction. One saw and heard much when patrolling the Red Keep, but Beric had known the unfortunate truth since he first laid eyes on the twins. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw Joffrey for the first time. Beric had checked in on Robert's bastards from time to time, all of whom bore at least some resemblance to Robert. Not only was Joffrey all Lannister, he had inherited his mother's cruelty and his father's arrogance. It was present in his eyes from the moment he was born. Beric shook his head and looked in the direction of the Godswood.  
"Poor child" he thought. Beric knew he should comfort the Stark child, she would be forced to marry that bastard and for someone of her status, surviving in the Capitol would be as complicated as it was dangerous, even more so when alone. As he walked towards the entrance of the Godswood, he noticed a figure lurking by the gate. Beric didn't need to guess who it was. The Hound glared at him as he grew closer, the same neverending flame of anger in his eyes. There was something else there as well, an emotion he could not put his finger on.  
"What do you want?" he growled. Daemon took a few steps back.  
"I'll wait by that tree" He told Beric  
"Coward" whispered Beric once he was out of earshot. The Hound snickered. Beric turned to the Hound. "Lady Stark has been in the Godswood for quite some time. I wanted to make sure nothing unpleasant has befallen her." Beric told him.  
"Her father's dead, her sister's missing, her remaining family is at war with the crown, and she's betrothed to a King who has her beaten after every battle her brother wins. Everything that's happened to her since she came to this city has been unpleasant. Why are you really here?"  
"I heard about her latest beating at the Kings...guard's hand and wanted to express my sympathy." Beric began to explain. This wasn't completely untrue, he had heard the poor girl's latest beating was particularly brutal. Beric also feared what was in store for her if the rumors of where the Targaryen children had been hiding were true. Beric had managed to stop most of these rumors from reaching the wrong ears, but a few managed to get to Cersei's ear.  
"She doesn't want your bloody sympa-"  
"It's alright Sandor." said Sansa, walking out of the Godswood with a slight limp. Her eyes were red from crying, and her voice was shaky. She also had bruises and cuts on her arms and legs. She turned to him and smiled an empty smile. A quiet rage filled Beric, but he managed to quiet it.  
"M'Lady I am sorry for what happened during your stay here. If there's anything you need, I am the head of the Knights Inquisitor. Ask For Ser Beric."  
"Thank You, I appreciate your concern." she said, her voice filled with contempt as she and the Hound walked past. Beric bowed as they did. He didn't blame her for her coldness, as no one stopped Joffrey from having his guard beat her. Alas, few had the power to contradict the king.  
"What was that about?" asked Daemon  
"Is it any of your Business?" he spat back.  
Daemon looked shocked and was quiet the rest of the way back. As Beric predicted, a few hours after they got to the barracks and Daemon ran off, the Queen had ordered him to appear before her. He was escorted by two White Cloaks, Ser Meryn Trant and Ser Preston Greenfield. The first thing he noticed when he entered the Throne Room was that it was bizarrely empty. Only the Queen, the Knights, a few servants, Littlefinger and the Spider were in the room. Cersei was in a seat by the Iron Throne, holding a goblet full of wine. Littlefinger was on her left, and the Spider on her right. As they approached the three turned to look at them. When Beric and the Knights stopped, Cersei began to speak.  
"Do you know why you've been called here …?" Cersei began.  
"Ser Beric" Varys reminded her  
"Ser Beric." she continued.  
"No, Your Grace." replied Beric. He didn't dare look her in the eyes.  
"You talked to Sansa Stark earlier today, why?"  
"I felt sorry for Lady Stark, that's all your Grace."  
"Felt sorry for her? A traitor's daughter?" Cersei said slightly surprised.  
"Yes. She has been through a lot ov-" Cersei raised her hand and silenced him.  
"Why should you feel sorry for her? Sansa Stark is to be the Queen, despite being from a family of traitors. That's far better than she deserves, though then again few get what they deserve." Cersei said coldly. She then looked at him curiously. "Ser Beric take off your helm."  
"Yes, Your Grace." Beric replied, doing as he was told. The Queen got up and walked towards him. When she got to where he was standing, she began circling and inspecting him, much like a vulture does it's prey. Suddenly grabbed his chin and forced him to look at her.  
"You're not from King's Landing, are you?" She asked him, her emerald green eyes gazing into his.  
"Not originally no, Your Grace." Beric responded.  
"Where are you from? Dorne?" She asked.  
"Kind of, Your Grace." The Queen looked at him puzzled.  
"I am an Orphan of The Greenblood." Beric clarified.  
"Ahh. You don't sound like it."  
"That happens when you've lived in the Capitol for years, Your Grace."  
"How did an Orphan of Greenblood become a knight in King's Landing?" asked Cersei.  
"I'm sorry Your Grace, but that is a story I'm afraid we do not have time for." Varys piped in. Cersei looked irritated.  
"If I may Your Grace, What is the point of this?" asked Littlefinger, his eyes fixated on the Knight.  
"This man, Beric, looks familiar. Tell me Beric, when did you come to the Capitol?" asked Cersei.  
"I came with Lady Elia, Your Grace. I was at the Trident when she and her babes fled." Beric replied.  
"Your Spider should be able to confirm this." he thought.  
"Ahh Yes, now I remember. You're one of the twins." Cersei recalled.  
"Triplets, Your Grace, a brother and a sister."  
"Tell me, where are your siblings?"  
"I don't know, Your Grace. They left during the Sack."  
"Why did they leave while you stayed?" asked Cersei. Beric had been dreading this question.  
"I don't know why they left, but I vowed to protect the people of King's Landing, and I couldn't just abandon my duty." Beric replied, praying to any God who would listen. No one looked convinced.  
"And you're loyal to Joffrey?"  
"Yes, Your Grace."  
"Hmm. I see." Cersei paused for a moment, and for a moment she looked almost sad. "If I remember correctly, you were close with your siblings?"  
"Yes, Your Grace."  
"It's hard, not knowing where your siblings are isn't it?"  
"Yes, Your Grace." Beric knew where this was going.  
"Do you miss your Sister?" She asked.  
"There it is." thought Beric.  
"Yes. My brother as well, but coming to King's Landing and meeting new people has helped me grow in new ways"  
Cersei looked angry for a moment, before switching back to her Queenly demeanor.  
"My son and I have talked things over, and he wants you reassigned."  
"To where My Lady?"  
"Guarding Lady Stark's chambers." Littlefinger perked up at this information.  
"But the Hou-"  
"The Hound should be guarding my son, not some Northern traitor's daughter." Cersei turned back to him. "Do you accept this?"  
"Yes M'Lady" said Beric. Littlefinger was staring intently at him.  
"My Lady, who will take on Ser Beric's Duties?" asked Varys. There was a mixture of panic and irritation on his face.  
"Whoever Joffrey sees fit."  
"Gods help us all." said a voice from the back of the room. It was Tyrion. Cersei looked like she was about to strangle him. "Why couldn't the King reassign this man himself?"  
"He's busy." replied Cersei  
"Still, reassigning a knight is usually done in front of court, not in private."  
"My son did not want the switch known yet."  
"How unlike him."  
"Lord Tyrion, she is telling the truth. A little bird of mine heard them talking about it." Said Varys. Cersei glared at them.  
"Littlefinger, you've been uncharacteristically quiet." said Tyrion  
"I have had nothing to add." replied Littlefinger, still glaring at Beric.  
"Very well then. Do Sansa and The Hound know about this arrangement?"  
"Joffrey is telling them now. Ser Beric, they should be waiting at the Godswood, go there now." Cersei ordered.


	22. A Change in Guard

Beric walked to The Godswood, ready to do his duty. The Queen followed with a smug grin on her face, as did her knights and Littlefinger. King Joffrey was there, just as Cersei had claimed.

"Well, it took you long enough. I was just telling them about the change in guard." Joffrey stated smugly when he noticed them. The Hound looked angry, and Sansa was unreadable.

"What will I be doing Your Grace?" asked The Hound

"You will return to your previous post guarding me."

"And Ser Beric's replacement?" asked Littlefinger

"We'll find his replacement soon enough. For now, The Hound should also take over his duty until we find a suitable man."

"Is that wise Your Gra-" Varys began to ask

"My son has spoken." Cersei interrupted. The Hound glared at her, the rage behind his face barely contained.

"Come on dog, I'm going to be late for my fitting." Joffrey started and began to walk away, his mother, the knights followed him. The Hound reluctantly followed the King, as well, looking back briefly before turning the corner. The Eunuch and Littlefinger excused themselves and scurried off in different directions, leaving Beric and Sansa alone. Beric felt uncomfortable. He didn't know what to do, he had served Joffrey to the best of his ability, and changing the guard like this so suddenly and without warning was a bad move, even for Joffrey. Either way he needed to do his job.

"Is there anywhere you need to go M'Lady?" he asked,

"I need to go to my chambers, I seem to have forgotten something."

"If it pleases you, My Lady."

They headed back to her chambers in the Red Keep. A few moments after she entered the room and closed the door he heard muffled crying. Beric did not blame her, as Joffrey and Cersei seemed dedicated to making her life miserable. She had come to King's Landing expecting to be a queen, but is now a glorified hostage, and that isn't even including the reports of a dragon that had come in.

Beric shuddered at the thought. He had attempted to tell Tyrion of the beast, but he did not listen and neither did the Queen Mother. Beric's only hope was Tywin, but even then he had brushed off the reports, claiming the dragon would grow no bigger than a cat, at most a large dog.

"Gods know what The King will do to the girl when he finds out." thought Beric. He had feared for his own safety as well as Sansa's, as it was only a matter of time before Joffrey would be told. As he was thinking this, one of Sansa's handmaidens walked up. She was one of Varys' spies, as at least one handmaiden under every lady of importance was. Still, Cersei had kept changing Sansa's handmaidens whenever she felt they were getting too close to her, much to the Spider's and Littlefinger's charaign.

"Excuse me." she said politely. He stepped aside and she knocked on Sansa's door. "My Lady, you need to go to the Tailor, the King's name day is in three days and they need to make sure your dress fits!"

"I'll be out in a moment!" Sansa replied, her voice still shaky. About five minutes later, Sansa came out of her room. She hardly looked as if she had been crying, but her eyes were still slightly red. The three of them began walking to the Royal Tailor's in silence. The Tailor's workshop was close to the King's Chambers, so it wouldn't be too long of a walk, but the silence was making it unbearable.

"Sir Beric, my actions earlier were not polite and I am sorry. I just needed a moment alone." said Sansa, finally breaking the silence.

"You need not apologize My Lady, I am now your guard. Wherever you go it is now my duty to protect you." Beric replied. It was the usual speech he gave to commoners whenever he was outside of the Red Keep, but it worked. They walked for another minute or two in silence. He didn't know what else to say.

"If you don't mind me asking, what exactly did you do before you were assigned to me? Lord Balish said something about you needing a replacement?" Sansa asked.

"I was a part of the Knights Inquisitor." he replied. "I made sure that any potential threats were identified and caught before they harmed the king."

"I thought the Knights Inquisitor were only focused on threats who escaped Kings Landing."

"That is one of our duties, but eventually Kings realized that they would live longer if threats were caught before they enacted their plans."

Sansa went quiet, and Beric realized why he had been assigned to her. Beric had done his job well despite his ties for around 15 years, both before and after he was knighted by Rhaegar shortly before the Trident. If Sansa happened to say anything "treasonous" or even out of the ordinary he would be honor bound to report it to the king, or at least to a member of the Small Council. It was what everyone expected of him, the Knight Inquisitor who served two kings faithfully. Unbeknownst to them, he and Sansa were more similar than people realized, and his loyalty to the new crown was nonexistent from the moment Joffrey ordered Ned Stark's death.

As he realized this, they got to the Tailor. Sansa's eyes lit up upon seeing the dress and she went to try it on as fast as she could. It was light Pink with a floral design on it. It fit her almost perfectly and the edits the tailor needed to make were minor at worst. She looked happier at that moment than she had looked since she found out her sister escaped months ago. She probably felt similarly, if not the same as when he found out his siblings escaped King's Landing with Elia and her children. As he remembered this, it hit him. The King, Queen Mother and Small Council expected him to report Sansa if or when she stepped out of line. What people failed to realize was that as a glorified bodyguard, investigating and punishing crime was no longer a part of his job.


	23. Stuck

Rhaenys had been having nightmares for the past few days. Some of her dreams depicted a wolf and an otter following a mockingbird as a rosethorn strangled a lion. Others still showed an ocean lit up with green fire left by a dead dragon. Her latest dream involved her riding Nightshade as a frozen army marched South. She feared what was North of The Wall, as the stories of the Long Night didn't seem so childish.

Despite her restless nights she managed to help Robb with winning the war. Catelyn had managed to form an alliance with the Freys. By that point news of Nightshade had made it to the twins, and Walder demanded that Robb marry one of his daughters, and Rhaenys marry one of his youngest sons. When Caitlyn pointed out Rhaenys and Nightshade were not hers to bargain, and she was technically betrothed to Aegon, Walder reluctantly altered the arrangement. Robb was still to marry one of his daughters, and Arya one of his youngest sons, and he had to take some of his youngest sons as Squires, but Rhaenys was not allowed to cross the Twins until an arrangement with Elia and Aegon could be negotiated. Whatever Walder wanted couldn't be good for them, especially considering the way he looked at Nightshade. Ownership of the only dragon in Westeros would make it virtually unstoppable, but also put a large target on their head. She just hoped he was smart enough not to ask solely for Nightshade, as she nipped and hissed at almost any Frey who came close to her. She also was starting to produce violet flame bursts, which while unimpressive, was still incredibly hot.

Even with Nightshade's temperamental nature, she would make a valuable asset. Walder probably would find a way to claim her dragon in one way or another. Nightshade nudged her hand affectionately and she gave her a few pieces of cooked meat. The dragon had learned a few commands in High Valyrian like Sōvēs or fly and Dracarys for dragonfire, but was learning fast. Nightshade listened to her, and often snuggled up to her when she was scared. Rhaenys didn't know why her dragon didn't trust the Freys, but whatever the reason, it was probably well founded.

Still, if Aegon was willing, she may wed someone else, which would give Walder an excuse to marry her to one of his sons. Either way, they had to wait for her brother to respond, and for now she was stuck by the Twins. All she could do was train Nightshade and send Ravens to stay updated with how the war was far, Robb had managed to capture Jamie Lannister and a few other highborn hostages and had won every battle he fought so far. Rhaenys was surprised Robert had let Jamie live, considering he helped save two Targaryens, though it could easily be explained away by his Family. Killing her grandfather probably helped somewhat, and being the son of the richest man in Westeros likely did the rest. Still, his capture meant they could ransom Robb's sister's back, though something told her that Arya was long gone. Just as she was about to wake Nightshade she heard a knock. When she opened the door she was greeted by Olyvar Frey, one of Walder's's younger trueborn sons.

"I thought you were with Robb?"

"I was, but my father wanted me here." He replied.

"Why?" asked Rhaenys, knowing perfectly well what Walder was doing.

"My father called me back shortly after we captured Jamie Lannister and sent a few of his grandchildren instead."

"Do you know why?"

"My father got a letter from your brother saying he would be willing to negotiate an alliance with him if he let you and any bannermen you need cross. I am assuming he is trying to marry us off."

"I see. I am sure my family will come to whatever arrangement they see fit."

"Indeed. I should be going. I just wanted to let you know."

"Thank You."

Rhaenys closed the door and looked out the window. It was going to be a long few months, and so far it seemed she would wed a Frey. After eating she went to bed and she dreamt of the day they found out her father ran away with Jon's mother.

"Your grace, it seems your son has run away," said the poor courier.

"Where?" asked the King.

"It's unclear, but many reports claimed he went to Dorne."

"Why?" Asked Elia, remaining poised and graceful with baby Aegon at her breast. There was anger in her voice that was uncommon. Rhaenys had never seen her mother upset before that moment and grew scared.

"I do not know m'lady, but two of the Starks are riding South. They think he stole their daughter, Lyanna." The Mad King was uncharacteristicly silent. "Lord Tywin has ignored our requests for aid, but Dorne is willing to provide aid as long as Elia and Rhaegar's children are safe."

"Bring Tywin here at once. I want him to answer as to why he has refused aid to his rightful king!" Aerys Finally shouted. "Now get out of my sight! All of you!"

"Will daddy come home soon?" Rhaenys asked as they began to leave. The Mad King's laughs echoed through the keep.

"If he's as smart as people say he won't come back. Why would he anyways? I'd run away too if I had a whore for a wife and a brat for a daughter!" The Mad King snapped at her. The remaining court tried to hide their surprise at this outburst, but to no avail. Many gave Rhaenys sympathetic glances as she rushed out of the room crying, her mother following her. A few of the courtiers gave her a sympathetic gift, but that just made it worse. Her grandfather, the most powerful man in the Seven Kingdoms, hated her. She cried until nightfall, when she finally fell asleep. The next scene was Elia having her pack her things. There was going to be a battle soon and they needed safe passage out of the castle when things went wrong. Right as she finished packing she remembered something she left in her father's room. As she found it she heard fighting and hid under Rhaegar's bed. Rhaenys was terrified, even more so than she was during the original encounter, but it wasn't until the door opened when she realized why. This time, instead of Ser Jamie, at the door, it was Ser Amory Lorch.


End file.
